anderson



Jan. 31, 1956 w, ANDERSON, JR 2,732,994

ROADSIDE STAND TRAY File d Sept. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. WILBUR QANDERSON a TTORNEY 1956 w. G. ANDERSON, JR 2,732,994

ROADSIDE STAND TRAY Filed Sept. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILBUR ANDERSON J R.

TORNEY United States Patent ROADSIDE STAND TRAY Wilbur G. Anderson, In, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignor to American Box Board Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 15, 1953, Serial No. 380,237

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) The present invention relates to a novel, very useful, inexpensive roadside stand tray. Such trays are used for carrying cups or goblets containing beverages, together with sandwiches and other eatables from the roadside stand to occupants of automobiles who drive in, give their order and have their order delivered to them without getting out.

With my invention it is an object and purpose thereof to provide a novel tray for the purposes stated which, while made of thin paper stock is of ample strength and rigidity and also is of a sufiiciently sturdy structure that it serves the purposes and sustains the service to which it is subjected in a particularly capable and satisfactory manner. The novel tray structure which I have produced is made from a single sheet of thin paperboard stock, out and stamped initially by dies, and very quickly and easily folded to its final tray form and structure with certain contacting surfaces glued or cemented together providing a tray with openings for the reception of cups, goblets and the like with an intermediate chamber in which sandwiches or other food which may be ordered is readily carried.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan of the blank from which the tray is formed and made.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the completed tray, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the tray in the process of being folded to its final completed form.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The blank shown in Fig. 1, longer than it is wide, at its middle portion has a bottom section 1, the length of which is equal to the width of the blank. From each longitudinal edge of the bottom 1 a side integral therewith extends adapted to be turned to vertical position at right angles to the bottom. Said sides are shown at 2 and 3. Integral with the outer edge of each side 2 and 3 at each end portion thereof is a top section 4, four in number in the completed tray. Each has a relatively large circular opening 5 cut therethrough. Two of said top members 4 at one end of said blank have each integral therewith what will be, in the completed tray, a vertical reinforcing member 6, extending outwardly in the blank shown in Fig. 1, from each of said two top members 4. Such vertical reinforcing partition members 6 are connected at their outer edges by a relatively narrow elongated member 7 having a length equal substantially to the full width of the blank. Between the inner ends of the vertical reinforcement sections 6 is a rectangular opening as shown in Fig. l,-indicated at 13.

From the top members 4, at the opposite end of the blank, narrow flaps 8 extend which have a length somewhat greater than the diameter of the openings 5. Sections 9 in the completed tray will be turned downwardly from the inner edges of the top sections 4 at one end of the blank as shown in Fig. 1. Similar sections 9a sim- 2,732,994 Patented J an; 31, 1956 ice ilarly located with reference to the openings 5 at the opposite end of the blank have, at their inner longitudinal edges, narrow flaps or strips 10 which are separated from each other by a cut 15 in a direction lengthwise of the blank, andat their inner ends by other cuts at 16 so as to leave projections 11 at the inner ends of the parts 10. The various folding lines are indicated at 14, the paper material being folded on such lines, the thin paperboard material being partly but not entirely cut through such lines. Such lines at the longitudinal edges of the bottom section 1, defining the side edges of said bottom also have short slots as indicated at 12 cut entirely through the material. The dash lines at one edge of each of the parts 10 are likewise folding lines so that the parts 10 may be folded or turned at right angles to the vertical sections 9 and 9a.

With a blank as thus formed, the tray of my invention may be shaped and assembled. Referring to Fig. 3, the

sides 2 and 3 are turned upwardly to lie in parallel verticalv planes integral with and extending upwardly at the longitudinal edges of the bottom 1. The top members 4 are turned inwardly from the upper edges of the sides 2 and 3, the reinforcing sections 6 with the strip 7 at the lower edges thereof are turned downwardly reaching to the upper side of the bottom 1, and the strip 7 turned to lie in a horizontal plane against said bottom, being glued or cemented thereto. The opposite top members 4, with the short strips or flaps 8, are likewise turned inwardly with the tops 4 in a horizontal plane coincident with that of the first described top sections 4, the flaps 8 extending downwardly and lying against the vertical reinforcing sections 6 and glued or cemented thereto. The sections 9a are turned and folded to extend downwardly to the bottom with the strips or flaps 10 at the lower edges thereof bent to liein a horizontal plane, the projecting ends 11 thereof snapping into the cuts or slots at 12 interlocking with the side 3 of the tray. Such sections 9a at their inner ends have projections 9b which will lie within the sections 9, likewise bent and folded to extend downwardly with the parts 10 at their lower edges folded into a horizontal plane against the bottom and having their outer projections 11 passing through the slots made by the cuts at 12 at the juncture of the bottom and the vertical side 2.

The tray produced as shown in Fig. 2, notwithstanding the thin paper stock material from which it is made, which may be less than ,4, inch in thickness is rigid and strong. Receptacles such as cups, tumblers or the like for containing liquid may be inserted at the openings 5, or bottles with beverages may be placed in the openings 5. The chamber bounded by the vertical sides 2 and 3 and ends 9 and 9a may be used to receive and contain sandwiches or other food.

The tray as previously stated is of a novel structure and may be produced in large quantity with a minimum of waste of paper stock material and at very low cost. The glued or cemented attachment of the parts as described adds to the strength and sturdiness of the tray which for the purposes for which it is made is exceptionally satisfactory and useful.

The appended claims define the invention which is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A tray comprising a generally rectangular bottom of thin paper stock material, a side integrally connected with said bottom at each side edge thereof, top sections integrally connected one to the upper edge of each side at each of the end portions thereof, two of said top sections, one at each end of the tray, having an integral vertical section at its inner longitudinal edge extending downwardly to said bottom and permanently secured thereto saidtop sectionsat oppositesides of the tray ing qi ttwardly extending projections at outer ends of said extending horizontally toward each other, means permaadditional oriiarse'etiehs,saiasiaes or thetrayliaving nently securing the remaining top sections at their inner slots for reception thereof.

-:longitudinal edge portions to said vertical sections, addi- 1:- tional-yertical sections integrally connected, one with each 5 References Cited in the file of this patent stop, section; at the inner transverse edge thereof, said addi- UNITED STATES PATENTS etional vertical sections extending downwardly toward said :mbottom, and means for connecting said additional vertical 2O76844 P 1937 r 2,231,982 Zalkind Feb. 18, 194] sect1onslw1thvsa1d sides of the tray. 2 359 337 T k 0 t 3 1944 1 '2. Tray strtlcture having the elements in combination 10 gg' f 1953 :defined; in claim 1, said means for connecting the addi- 2,679,971 G01 dberg June 1 1954 tional vertical sections with the sides of the tray compris- 

